arXiv subjects

Alberto Bressan

Publications and source records attributed to Alberto Bressan.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Variational Problems for Tree Roots and Branches

This paper studies two classes of variational problems introduced in [7], related to the optimal shapes of tree roots and branches. Given a measure $μ$ describing the distribution of leaves, a sunlight functional $§(μ)$ computes the total amount of light captured by the leaves. For a measure $μ$ describing the distribution of root hair cells, a harvest functional $\H(μ)$ computes the total amount of water and nutrients gathered by the roots. In both cases, we seek a measure $μ$ that maximizes these functionals subject to a rami?ed transportation cost, for transporting nutrients from the roots to the trunk or from the trunk to the leaves. Compared with [7], here we do not impose any a priori bound on the total mass of the optimal measure $μ$, and more careful a priori estimates are thus required. In the unconstrained optimization problem for branches, we prove that an optimal measure exists, with bounded support and bounded total mass. In the unconstrained problem for tree roots, we prove that an optimal measure exists, with bounded support but possibly unbounded total mass. The last section of the paper analyzes how the size of the optimal tree depends on the parameters defining the various functionals.

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arXiv2019

On Traffic Flow with Nonlocal Flux: a Relaxation Representation

We consider a conservation law model of traffic flow, where the velocity of each car depends on a weighted average of the traffic density $ρ$ ahead. The averaging kernel is of exponential type: $w_\varepsilon(s)=\varepsilon ^{-1} e^{-s/\varepsilon}$. By a transformation of coordinates, the problem can be reformulated as a $2\times 2$ hyperbolic system with relaxation. Uniform BV bounds on the solution are thus obtained, independent of the scaling parameter $\varepsilon $. Letting $\varepsilon\to 0$, the limit yields a weak solution to the corresponding conservation law $ρ_t + ( ρv(ρ))_x=0$. In the case where the velocity $v(ρ)= a-bρ$ is affine, using the Hardy-Littlewood rearrangement inequality we prove that the limit is the unique entropy-admissible solution to the scalar conservation law.

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arXiv2019

Competition Models for Plant Stems

The models introduced in this paper describe a uniform distribution of plant stems competing for sunlight. The shape of each stem, and the density of leaves, are designed in order to maximize the captured sunlight, subject to a cost for transporting water and nutrients from the root to all the leaves. Given the intensity of light, depending on the height above ground, we first solve the optimization problem determining the best possible shape for a single stem. We then study a competitive equilibrium among a large number of similar plants, where the shape of each stem is optimal given the shade produced by all others. Uniqueness of equilibria is proved by analyzing the two-point boundary value problem for a system of ODEs derived from the necessary conditions for optimality.

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arXiv2019

Weighted Irrigation Plans

We model an irrigation network where lower branches must be thicker in order to support the weight of the higher ones. This leads to a countable family of ODEs, one for each branch, that must be solved by backward induction. Having introduced conditions that guarantee the existence and uniqueness of solutions, our main result establishes the lower semicontinuity of the corresponding cost functional, w.r.t. pointwise convergence of the irrigation plans. In turn, this yields the existence of an optimal irrigation plan, in the presence of these additional weights.

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arXiv2019

Globally Optimal Departure Rates for Several Groups of Drivers

The first part of this paper contains a brief introduction to conservation law models of traffic flow on a network of roads. Globally optimal solutions and Nash equilibrium solutions are reviewed, with several groups of drivers sharing different cost functions. In the second part we consider a globally optimal set of departure rates, for different groups of drivers but on a single road. Necessary conditions are proved, which lead to a practical algorithm for computing the optimal solution.

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arXiv2018

Approximation of Sweeping Processes and Controllability for a Set Valued Evolution

We consider a controlled evolution problem for a set $Ω(t)\in\mathbb{R}^d$, originally motivated by a model where a dog controls a flock of sheep. Necessary conditions and sufficient conditions are given, in order that the evolution be completely controllable. Similar techniques are then applied to the approximation of a sweeping process. Under suitable assumptions, we prove that there exists a control function such that the corresponding evolution of the set $Ω(t)$ is arbitrarily close to the one determined by the sweeping process.

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arXiv2018

Vanishing Viscosity Solutions for Conservation Laws with Regulated Flux

In this paper we introduce a concept of "regulated function" $v(t,x)$ of two variables, which reduces to the classical definition when $v$ is independent of $t$. We then consider a scalar conservation law of the form $u_t+F(v(t,x),u)_x=0$, where $F$ is smooth and $v$ is a regulated function, possibly discontinuous w.r.t.both $t$ and $x$. By adding a small viscosity, one obtains a well posed parabolic equation. As the viscous term goes to zero, the uniqueness of the vanishing viscosity limit is proved, relying on comparison estimates for solutions to the corresponding Hamilton--Jacobi equation. As an application, we obtain the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a class of $2\times2$ triangular systems of conservation laws with hyperbolic degeneracy.

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arXiv2018

On the Optimal Shape of Tree Roots and Branches

This paper introduces two classes of variational problems, determining optimal shapes for tree roots and branches. Given a measure $μ$, describing the distribution of leaves, we introduce a sunlight functional $§(μ)$ computing the total amount of light captured by the leaves. On the other hand, given a measure $μ$ describing the distribution of root hair cells, we consider a harvest functional $\H(μ)$ computing the total amount of water and nutrients gathered by the roots. In both cases, we seek to maximize these functionals subject to a ramified transportation cost, for transporting nutrients from the roots to the trunk and from the trunk to the leaves. The main results establish various properties of these functionals, and the existence of optimal distributions. In particular, we prove the upper semicontinuity of $§$ and $\H$, together with a priori estimates on the support of optimal distributions.

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arXiv2017

On finite time BV blow-up for the p-system

The paper studies the possible blowup of the total variation for entropy weak solutions of the p-system, modeling isentropic gas dynamics. It is assumed that the density remains uniformly positive, while the initial data can have arbitrarily large total variation (measured in terms of Riemann invariants). Two main results are proved. (I) If the total variation blows up in finite time, then the solution must contain an infinite number of large shocks in a neighborhood of some point in the $t$-$x$ plane. (II) Piecewise smooth approximate solutions can be constructed whose total variation blows up in finite time. For these solutions the strength of waves emerging from each interaction is exact, while rarefaction waves satisfy the natural decay estimates stemming from the assumption of genuine nonlinearity.

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arXiv2017

A Model of Controlled Growth

We consider a free boundary problem for a system of PDEs, modeling the growth of a biological tissue. A morphogen, controlling volume growth, is produced by specific cells and then diffused and absorbed throughout the domain. The geometric shape of the growing tissue is determined by the instantaneous minimization of an elastic deformation energy, subject to a constraint on the volumetric growth. For an initial domain with $C^{2,α}$ boundary, our main result establishes the local existence and uniqueness of a classical solution, up to a rigid motion.

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arXiv2017

On the Controllability of Lagrangian Systems by Active Constraints

We consider a mechanical system which is controlled by means of moving constraints. Namely, we assume that some of the coordinates can be directly assigned as functions of time by means of frictionless constraints. This leads to a system of ODE's whose right hand side depends quadratically on the time derivative of the control. In this paper we introduce a simplified dynamics, described by a differential inclusion. We prove that every trajectory of the differential inclusion can be uniformly approximated by a trajectory of the original system, on a sufficiently large time interval, starting at rest. Under a somewhat stronger assumption, we show this second trajectory reaches exactly the same terminal point.

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arXiv2017

Growth Models for Tree Stems and Vines

The paper introduces a PDE model for the growth of a tree stem or a vine. The equations describe the elongation due to cell growth, and the response to gravity and to external obstacles. An additional term accounts for the tendency of a vine to curl around branches of other plants. When obstacles are present, the model takes the form of a differential inclusion with unilateral constraints. At each time t, a cone of admissible reactions is determined by the minimization of an elastic deformation energy. The main theorem shows that local solutions exist and can be prolonged globally in time, except when a specific "breakdown configuration" is reached. Approximate solutions are constructed by an operator-splitting technique. Some numerical simulations are provided at the end of the paper.

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arXiv2016

A Stochastic Model of Optimal Debt Management and Bankruptcy

A problem of optimal debt management is modeled as a noncooperative game between a borrower and a pool of lenders, in infinite time horizon with exponential discount. The yearly income of the borrower is governed by a stochastic process. When the debt-to-income ratio $x(t)$ reaches a given size $x^*$, bankruptcy instantly occurs. The interest rate charged by the risk-neutral lenders is precisely determined in order to compensate for this possible loss of their investment. For a given bankruptcy threshold $x^*$, existence and properties of optimal feedback strategies for the borrower are studied, in a stochastic framework as well as in a limit deterministic setting. The paper also analyzes how the expected total cost to the borrower changes, depending on different values of $x^*$, changes, depending on different values of $x^*$?.

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arXiv2016

Existence of optima and equilibria for traffic flow on networks

This paper is concerned with a conservation law model of traffic flow on a network of roads, where each driver chooses his own departure time in order to minimize the sum of a departure cost and an arrival cost. The model includes various groups of drivers, with different origins and destinations and having different cost functions. Under a natural set of assumptions, two main results are proved: (i) the existence of a globally optimal solution, minimizing the sum of the costs to all drivers, and (ii) the existence of a Nash equilibrium solution, where no driver can lower his own cost by changing his departure time or the route taken to reach destination. In the case of Nash solutions, all departure rates are uniformly bounded and have compact support.

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arXiv2015

The Riemann Solver for Traffic Flow at an Intersection with Buffer of Vanishing Size

The paper examines the model of traffic flow at an intersection introduced in [2], containing a buffer with limited size. As the size of the buffer approach zero, it is proved that the solution of the Riemann problem with buffer converges to a self-similar solution described by a specific Limit Riemann Solver (LRS). Remarkably, this new Riemann Solver depends Lipschitz continuously on all parameters.

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arXiv2015

Lipschitz Metrics for a Class of Nonlinear Wave Equations

The nonlinear wave equation $u_{tt}-c(u)(c(u)u_x)_x=0$ determines a flow of conservative solutions taking values in the space $H^1(\mathbb{R})$. However, this flow is not continuous w.r.t. the natural $H^1$ distance. Aim of this paper is to construct a new metric which renders the flow uniformly Lipschitz continuous on bounded subsets of $H^1(\mathbb{R})$. For this purpose, $H^1$ is given the structure of a Finsler manifold, where the norm of tangent vectors is defined in terms of an optimal transportation problem. For paths of piecewise smooth solutions, one can carefully estimate how the weighted length grows in time. By the generic regularity result proved in [7], these piecewise regular paths are dense and can be used to construct a geodesic distance with the desired Lipschitz property.

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arXiv2015

Structurally Stable Singularities for a Nonlinear Wave Equation

For the nonlinear wave equation $u_{tt} - c(u)\big(c(u) u_x\big)_x~=~0$, it is well known that solutions can develop singularities in finite time. For an open dense set of initial data, the present paper provides a detailed asymptotic description of the solution in a neighborhood of each singular point, where $|u_x|\to\infty$. The different structure of conservative and dissipative solutions is analyzed.

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arXiv2015

Generic Regularity of Conservative Solutions to a Nonlinear Wave Equation

The paper is concerned with conservative solutions to the nonlinear wave equation $u_{tt} - c(u)\big(c(u) u_x\big)_x = 0$. For an open dense set of $C^3$ initial data, we prove that the solution is piecewise smooth in the $t$-$x$ plane, while the gradient $u_x$ can blow up along finitely many characteristic curves. The analysis is based on a variable transformation introduced in [7], which reduces the equation to a semilinear system with smooth coefficients, followed by an application of Thom's transversality theorem.

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